a/n: whew! About time I came out with another chapter! Sorry I didn't update as soon as I wanted to; it just didn't work out that way. It looks like I'll have to get rid of any scheduling and just update when I get the chance. Enough said! and, with no further ado, chapter four!

Disclaimer: Tekken isn't mine

Chapter 4: NorthHouse

"i was under the impression that you had been told to stay away from this place, my dear," whispered a faint voice through the chilly night air.

"I was."

"then what are you doing here?"

"I'm not done with this place. Not just yet," came the icy response.

"not done?"

"No. This place harbors the memories that I had wished would vanish with time, but haven't. I will make sure this place and all of its operations are shut down."

"are you sure that is all?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"well. if you had decided to destroy this place and everything that it stands for, you would have already done it.""What is that supposed to mean?"

"you lack a certain sense of conviction, my dear… you have the power to completely annihilate this facility, either through the use of your military personnel or your own two hands. and yet, you are still just up here. observing…" the voice deducted.

"Am I not allowed to observe if I feel like it?" she responded bitterly.

"oh no, of course you are, but it is just that i feel as if you are here for another reason. one much more powerful than one of mere revenge."

"And if I am?"

"jan-izumi, you can not lie to me very easily. i know you too well for that. you are here for her…are you not?"

Several moments passed before she responded.

"I can't just go on through life without knowing what happened," her voice held a slight tone of melancholy.

"i imagine you can not"

Jaez groaned, "I want to find her but…" she trailed off.

"but what?"

"These people are very secretive. They will never let go of any information regarding her, and it is not as simple as trying to hack into their computer systems. They keep little to no information regarding their 'employees' on their servers."

"what makes you believe that she would be an employee. i hardly see her fit for one."

"Have you forgotten the life they laid out for me. What makes you believe that they would make an exception for her?"

"nothing at all"

Jaez sighed and sat down on the branch of the tree she had been perched on. The sudden shift in weight caused the precariously balanced snow to cascade toward the ground. She wrapped her jacket around her body more tightly and leaned her head against the tree trunk. Off in the distance, a menagerie of glittering lights revealed a large assembly of buildings hidden amongst the jagged crooks of the mountain's base.

"Death?" Jaez said as a sudden thought struck her.

"yes," came the soft reply.

"What are you doing here?" she turned her head to the silvery-black shadow beside her.

"what am i doing here?"

"Yes. You," she looked at him with a bit of a puzzled look, "Somehow I seriously doubt that you're here just to keep me company."

Death gave a slight chuckle, "i am here to do my job of course. but aside from that i was fortunate enough to run into you here"

"Your job. Duh." Jaez shook her head with a slight smile, "So who's the unlucky person?"

"a man. by the name of vincent i believe."

"Is that so?"

"yes."

"So what did this guy do?"

"i am not entirely sure, but i think he greatly displeased his master."

"And just because he didn't do his job right he's was sent to be killed?" Jaez scoffed, "How typical. Things don't change much around here do they?"

"it does not seem as if they do."

"I don't suppose you know how this guy lost his life?" Jaez said, her curiosity was now morbidly piqued.

"he was sent to be punished by one of the most trusted guards. a child actually. how sad, don't you think? to be frightened of a mere… child?"

"A kid?" Jaez' disapproval had become fury. Her jaw clenched and her hands formed fists at her side. She turned angrily to the facility out in the distance.

"yes. and a rather curious child, at that. i have been here before to dispatch a good number of souls that she effortlessly ran down," the specter shifted until it seemed to be looking at Jaez. "she reminds me an awful lot of you when you were 'working' with these individuals."

"No," Jaez shook her head, "That's not possible. No one could be like me."

"that is not true, my dear. this girl is most definitely like you. although i have to admit that she does not possess the same ability you do, she is most certainly endowed with a powerful gift."

Jaez turned to her companion, "What kind of gift?"

"i believe she is a telepath. she possesses the innate ability to read the mind of any individual she chooses."

"So. If I were to try to get anywhere near that place with thoughts to destroy it, she would know?" Jaez' face turned sour.

"no."

"No? But you just said that she can read minds"

"i said that she can read the mind of any individual she chooses," he repeated, "she must choose the mind. if she does not know that it is there, how can she read it?"

"Wait. So her ability is selective?"

"did I not just say that?" he said quietly.

Jaez frowned before speaking again, "So I should find a way to keep this kid out of my way before going in, huh?"

"i suppose. but i must warn you: this girl is immensely cognitive for her age. she has the reasoning of any adult and is extremely skilled in various arts of combat. like i said before, she reminds me of you."

Jaez stood up on the thick tree branch again, "I guess that means I have the upper hand then."

"upper hand?"

"Yeah. If she's anything like me, I'll know what to expect from her." She jumped down and somersaulted once before landing on her feet in the snow.

"you are headed to the northhouse" the shadow followed her as she began to walk toward the lights in the distance.

"Yes. I'm going to check out this kid, and see what she can really do." she looked back at Death as she walked, "I don't suppose you've ever caught this kid's name have you?"

"i do not have knowledge as to her birth name, but i do know what they call her."

Jaez looked onward disapprovingly, "Nicknames. Ugh. So, what do they call this extremely-knowledgeable-mind-reading-kid?"

"psyche."

Jaez continued to walk forward through the snow with an air of determination and ire.

"Well Psyche. I know why they call you that, but I really don't think you'll know why they call me Reaper. If you really are as bright as Death says you are then it'll be harder to make sure you get out of my way, but don't think for a second that it will stop me. I'm not going to leave without getting what I came for. And neither you, nor anyone else will become obstacles in my pursuit.

A few miles away, in one of the buildings of the facility, Psyche was startled out of her meditation. Her silver eyes revealed her inner confusion. She was surprised by the sudden feeling she had. It was a sensation she had never before experienced.

Someone is … coming?

a/n: The next few chapters will be Jaez-centric but I hope you don't mind. And in the meantime: tell me what you thought of this chapter!